Animators, producers to resume contract talks

Three-year deal between IATSE, AMPTP expires July 31

Contract talks between Hollywood union animators and producers will resume next week, two months after the negotiations broke down.

The Animation Guild, which reps about 2,000 animators through Local 839 of the Intl. Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, disclosed that two days of talks have been set to start on Tuesday. The current three-year deal expires on July 31.

A spokesman for the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers had no comment.

The local disclosed the breakdown of three days of talks on April 17 by saying, “This morning we broke off the negotiations, as we are far apart with the producers and there didn’t appear to be any simple way to bridge the yawning chasm.”

IATSE and the AMPTP agreed in April to a new three-year master contract that will, if ratified, cover more than 20,000 members of 15 other West Coast locals. That contract is due to be sent to members later this month.